Article working apparatus



March 8, 1-949. H. H. MERWIN 9 ARTICLE WORKING APPARATUS Filed June 9,1947 I s Sheets-Sheet 1 lNl/ENTOR H. H. MERW/N A T TO/PNEV March 8,1949. Rwm 2,463,895

ARTICLE WORKING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYMarch 8, 1949.

H. H. MERWIN 2,463,895

ARTICLE WORKING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 g FIG. 4

/ N VE N TOR H. H. MERW/N A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT ()FFICE ARTICLE WO'RIUNG APPARATUS Harry H. Mei-win, Rutherford,N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 9, 1947,SerialNo'. 753,535

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to article working apparatus, and moreparticularly to an apparatus for cutting grooves in the metalliccoverings on quartz crystals by sand blasting.

In the manufacture of quartz crystals for use in the communication arts,metallic coatings are formed on opposing sides of the crystals and insome instances the coatings on each side are to be divided into two ormore parts. The quartz crystals are wafer-like structures and themetallic coatings are relatively thin. Heretofore, the metallic coatingshave been divided into two or more parts by a scraping process whereinthe crystals could be. readily damaged unless extremecare was taken inscraping portions of the metallic coatings from the crystal. In someinstances, a straight paththrough the metallic coatings is satisfactorywhile with certain types of crystals it is desirable to form anirregular path of a given contour through the coatings, these irregularpaths requiring. additional accuracy and patience to avoid damage to thecrystal and the coatings thereon. In either instance, it is essentialthat the coating on each side of the crystal be com-- pletely separated.into two or more parts without varying the thickness of thecrystal atthe separating lines and without damaging: the remaining metalliccoatings.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient and highlypractical article working apparatus,.particularly adapted for removingmetallic coatings from articles suchas quartz crystals at restrictedareas by sand blasting.

Broadly. the invention comprises anarticle workin apparatus including aunit such as a sand blast nozzle operable to perform work on an article.The unit is mounted at a fixedposition relative to a carriage for thearticle which is movable between given limits. A rotatable drivingmeans, such as an electric motor, is connected to a driven. member orshaft through a clutch control means, such as a foot tread'le. Oth erassociated mechanism is provided to actuate the clutchfor one revolutionto move the carriage between its limits and to operate the unit and holdit operated during movement of the carriage.

The driven member is a shaft, rotated by the clutch and carrying cams,one of which operates a latch to release a clutch stopping element tostop the clutch after one cycle of operation. and

hold the clutch unoperated until after the carriage has completed itscycle of. movement between its givenlimits. The other cam. rotating withthe driven shaft actuates the unit and more particularly, anair valve inan air-line to a sand blast nozzle which is a more specific title forthe unit. Operating mechanism connected eccentrically with the drivenshaft in an adjustable manner to vary the- Ii'mitsof the carriage causesmovement of the carriage from a starting position to a given positionand back to the starting position.

Other objects and] advantages will be apparent from the followindetailed description when c'onsid'ered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein;

Fig. I is a front elevational view of the apparatus, portions thereofbeing shown insection;

Fig. 2 is aside elevational view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the operating mechanism of theapparatus;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an article to be formed by theapparatus.

The apparatus as shown in the drawings includes a frame-like structure.IO having an upper compartment H open at the front whereby an operatormay place articlesindicate'd generally at ['2 upon a carriage M. Thecarriage l'4' includes a table [5 provided with a slot t6 through whichsand or other particles may be forced to a given portion of the articlel2. A locating member I"! is mounted on the table I5 to assist inpositioning the article relative to" the slot l6". In the presentembodiment, the table is supported by the lower ends of resilientmembers I8 suspended from brackets I9 mounted within the compartment Hto the top thereof.

A materialv working unit 2| in the present em bodiment of the inventionis a nozzle supported in the frame ID by a bracket 22 in alignment withan aperture 23' in the lower wall' 24 of the compartment l I. Theaperture 23 is in general alignment with the slot l6" of the table [5. Areceptacle 26" for an abrasive material 2 1' is mounted in the lowerportion of the frame [0; the unit 21 being mounted within the receptaclenear the upper central portion thereof. A supply line 30 extendsexternally of the receptacle 26' from a position adjacent the lower endof the receptacle and again enters the receptacle near the upper endthereof where it is connectedv at- 3| to the unit 2|. In this manner,the abrasive material 21 is fed in the conventional manner to the nozzleor unit 2|. A mainair supply line is connected to a line 36 through avalve 31, a line 36 extending into the compartment II where a flexibleline 38 connects the line 36 to the unit 2| or nozzle at 35.

The table I5 is moved laterally between given limits relative to thenozzle 2| by an actuatin mechanism indicated generally at 4| driven by amechanism indicated generally at 42. The mechanism 42 includes anelectric motor 43 which drives a speed reducing unit 44 knowncommercially as a standard Graham drive The output shaft 45 of the unit44 is periodically connected to a driven shaft 46 through a onerevolution clutch 48. The shaft 46 is journalled in a bearin 50 and hasa fly wheel 5| mounted on the outer end thereof. A stub shaft 52adjustably mounted in a T-slot 53 relative to the axis of the shaftcauses actuation of the connecting means 4| to move the table I5 betweenvariable limits relative to the unit 2!. The actuating means 4|'includes a link 54 having one end mounted on the shaft 52 and the otherend pivotally connected at 55 to a lever 55. The lever 56 has its upperend fixedly mounted on a shaft 51 which is journalled in abearingbracket 59 mounted on the main frame I8. A lever 58 extends verticallyfrom the shaft 51 where its lower end is fixedly mounted. Areciprocating arm 60 pivotally connected at 8| to the upper end of thelever 58 extends through the adjacent wall of the main frame I and intothe compartment II where it is connected at 82 to the table I5.

A clutch control element 55 has one end supported for longitudinalmovement in an aperture 68 in a wall 51 of a housing 68 and an enlargedend portion 69 substantially rectangular in crosssection slidablydisposed in an aperture I0 of similar contour in another wall II of thehousing 68. The portion I59 is normally held in the path of a pin I8 ofthe clutch 48 to hold the clutch unoperated until released bylongitudinal movement of the element 55 free of the pin I3. A spring Idisposed concentric with the element 65 normally urges the elementtoward the clutch 48 to position the portion 69 in the path of the pin13.

Means is provided to actuate the element 85 against the force of itsspring I5 to release the clutch 48. This means includes a treadle I8(Fig. 2) pivotally supported at I9 and normally urged upwardly by aspring 80 applying its force to a rod 8| connected to the treadle at 32.An actuating rod 83 connected to the treadle at 84 extends through anaperture in one arm of a bell crank lever 85 where spaced collars oradjustable nuts 86 on the threadedend of the rod are positioned toengage the adjacent arm of the lever 85 to cause actuation thereof. Thedownwardly projecting arm 8! of the lever 85 is pivotally connected at88 to a latch rod 89, the lever being pivotally supported at 90intermediate its ends. The latch rod 89 is supported for longitudinalmovement parallel with the element 65 at a posi tion beneath the elementas shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A latch 92 is mounted to move with the rod 89between collars 93 which are disposed concentric with the rod 89 andfixed thereto. The latch 92 is normally urged in a clockwise directionby a spring 96 (Fig. 4) to hold the latch against the element 65. Theadjacent portion of the element 65 is provided with a recess 91 toreceive the latch 92 and in this manner connect the element 65 to thelatch rod 89 whereby the element may be moved against the force of itsspring I5 during movement of the latch rod.

The latch 92 has a cam follower 98 positioned to b gaged by a cam 99mounted on the shaft 4 46 whereby the latch will be actuated against theforce of its spring 96 to release the element 65 during rotation of theshaft and before it completes one cycle of rotation.

Means for actuating the valve 31 to cause the unit 2! to function duringmovement of the table 55 includes a cam I09 mounted on the shaft 46. Themajor portion of the cam IilIJ may be described as a high portion, a lowportion IIH being normally positioned to receive a cam roller I82 at theidler position of the shaft 46. The cam roller I02 is supported by thelower end of a lever I93 Which is fixedly mounted on a shaft I94. Alever I05 is fixedly mounted on the shaft I04 and has a pull rod I88pivotally connected at I01 to its outer end. The pull rod I86 (Fig. 2)extends upwardly to a point adjacent the valve 31 where an arm I81connects the pull rod to the valve I08 to open the valve to admit airunder pressure to theunit 2| when the roller I 82 rides on the highportion of the cam I 88.

The article I2 in the present embodiment of the invention is a quartzcrystal III with coatings III of a suitable metallic material such assilver. These coatings are to be divided into two parts by sand blastingthe coatings in a given path II2.

During the operation of the apparatus, the table I5 may be termed a maskin that it serves to cover all portions of the article against theabrasive material forced from the unit 2|, except the portion of thearticle represented by the path I I2 which is in alignment with theaperture I6 of the table. Normally the apparatus is idle, at which timean article I2 may be placed on the table in a given position over theaperture I6. The operator may then actuate the treadle I8 to cause thelever actuated by the pull rod 83 to move the latch rod 89 inwardly ofthe housing 68 to move the element 85 against the force of its spring I5to move the portion 69 free of the pin 73 of the clutch 48. The motor 43and the unit 42 will then be directly connected to the shaft 48 throughthe clutch 48. The table I5 will be moved through one operating cyclefrom its starting position to the end of its oscillating stroke and backto the starting position. During thisinterval, the cam 99 has engagedthe cam follower 98, moving the latch 92 against the force of its springfree of the element 55, that is, out of the recess 91 of the element toallow the spring I5 to return the element 65 to its normal position. Theportion I59 of the element 65 will be positioned to be engaged by theclutch pin I3 at the end of one revolution of the shaft 46 to stop theshaft by effectively disengaging the clutch 48. 7

At the beginning of the operating cycle of the shaft 46 and itsassociated mechanism to move the table, the cam I80 will actuate itsassociated mechanism to open the valve 31 admitting air under pressurethrough lines 38 and 38 to the nozzle 2|. This produces in the nozzle apartial vacuum which draws given quantities of the abrasive material 27in a constant stream from the receptacle 26 through the line 38, forcingthe abrasive material through the aperture 28 and also through the slotor aperture It in the table to the selected portion of the article toremove the covering material III along the path II2. After the apparatushas completed one cycle of operation, to remove the covering III from agiven portion at one side of the article, the article may be turned andplaced on the table in the desired position over the aperture I8 wherebyduring the next cycle of operation of the appa- U ratus, the othercoating HI may be divided into two parts along a path parallel with thepath H2. Although the present embodiment illustrates a straight aperture6 for removing portions of the coating material I H along a straightpath, the size and contour of this path may be readily varied by varyingthe size and contour of the aperture 16. Furthermore, the length of theaperture it depending upon the length of the article, may requirevariations in the limits of the movement of the table, this beingaccomplished by adjustment of the shaft 52, at the T-slot of the flywheel 5!.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article working apparatus comprising a unit operable to performwork on an article, a carriage for the article supported for movementbetween given limits relative to the unit, a rotatable driving means, adriven member operatively connected to the carriage, a clutch actuableto connect the driven member with the driving means, means operable toactuate the clutch whereby the carriage will be moved between itslimits, and means actuated by the driven member to cause operation ofthe unit during movement of the carriage.

2. An apparatus for forming an article by the abrasive division of acoating on an article such as a metallic coating on a quartz crystal,the apparatus comprising a unit for directing an abrasive material in agiven path mounted at a fixed position, a mask, mounted for movementtransversely of the said path, to support the article and having anaperture through which the abra sive material may pass to apredetermined area of the article, a drive member, a driven shaft, aclutch actuable to connect the shaft to the drive member, meansoperatively connecting the shaft to the mask to cause movement of themask between given limits relative to the unit during each revolution ofthe shaft, means to actuate the clutch to cause rotation of the shaft,and means under the control of the shaft to render the clutchineffective after one rotary cycle of the shaft.

3. An apparatus for forming an article by the abrasive division of acoating on an article such as a metallic coating on a quartz crystal,the apparatus comprising a unit for directing an abrasive material in agiven path mounted at a fixed position, a mask, mounted for movementtransversely of the said path, to support the article and having anaperture through which the abrasive material may pass to a predeterminedarea of the article, a drive member, a driven shaft, a clutch actuableto connect the shaft to the drive member, means operatively connectingthe shaft to the mask to cause movement of the mask between given limitsrelative to the unit during each revolution of the shaft, means toactuate the clutch to cause rotation of the shaft, means under thecontrol of the shaft to render the clutch ineffective after one rotarycycle of the shaft, and means under the control of the shaft to causeoperation of the unit during movement of the mask.

4. An apparatus for forming an article by the abrasive division of acoating on an article such as a metallic coating on a quartz crystal,the apparatus comprising a unit for directing an abrasive material in agiven path mounted at a fixed position, a mask, mounted for movementtransversely of the said path, to support the article and having anaperture through which the abrasive material may pass to a predeterminedarea of the article, a drive member, a driven shaft, a clutch actuableto connect the shaft to the drive member, means operatively connectingthe shaft to the mask to cause movement of the mask between given limitsrelative to the unit during each revolution of the shaft, a clutchcontrol element normally holding the clutch unactuated, means to movethe element to cause actuation of the clutch to drive the shaft, andmeans rotatable with the shaft to release the element whereby theelement will render the clutch ineffective to rotate the shaft at thecompletion of one rotary cycle of the shaft.

5. An apparatus for forming an article by the abrasive division of acoating on an article such as a metallic coating on a quartz crystal,the apparatus comprising a unit for directing an abrasive material in agiven path mounted at a fixed position, a mask, mounted for movementtransversely of the said path, to support the article and having anaperture through which the abrasive material may pass to a predeterminedarea of the article, a drive member, a driven shaft, a clutch actuableto connect the shaft to the drive member, means operatively connectingthe shaft to the mask to cause movement of the mask between given limitsrelative to the unit during each revolution of the shaft, a clutchcontrol element normally holding the clutch unactuated, means includinga latch to move the element to cause actuation of the clutch to drivethe shaft, and a cam driven by the shaft to actuate the latch to releasethe element whereby the element will render the clutch ineffective torotate the shaft at the completion of one rotary cycle of the shaft.

6. An apparatus for forming an article by the abrasive division of acoating on an article such as a metallic coating on a quartz crystal,the apparatus comprising a unit for directing an abrasive material in agiven path mounted at a fixed position, a mask, mounted for movementtransversely of the said path, to support the article and having anaperture through which the abrasive material may pass to a predeterminedarea of the article, an air line including a valve to direct air underpressure through the unit to force the abrasive material toward themask, a drive member, a driven shaft, a clutch actuable to connect theshaft to the drive member, means operatively connecting the shaft to themask to cause movement of the mask between given limits relative to theunit during each revolution of the shaft, means to actuate the clutch tocause rotation of the shaft, and means under the control of the shaft toopen the valve and hold it open during movement of the mask.

HARRY H. MERWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 467,155 Clarke Jan. 19, 1892767,362 Phillips Aug. 9, 1904 955,468 Motz Apr. 19, 1910

